Educator Licensure

Out of State and Foreign Applicant Information

The following information is designed to help applicants who have completed an out-of-state educator preparation program learn how to obtain licensure in Illinois. Please view the links and information below to see requirements for licensure.

If you are an applicant prepared as an educator outside of the United States please click here for credential information.

Types of Licenses

The Illinois State Board of Education issues the following types of licenses:

The links below detail the requirements for obtaining a professional educator license and an educator license with stipulations. Additional requirements for teaching, administrative, school support personnel, and content/subject area endorsements are outlined in individual documents. Be sure to view the requirements for both the license and the specific endorsement you wish to obtain.

Provisional Educator Endorsement on an ELS

A provisional educator endorsement on an educator license with stipulations (ELS) may be issued when an applicant holds a valid, comparable license from another state and does not meet all requirements for the professional educator license (PEL). An ELS endorsed as a provisional educator is valid for two full fiscal years and cannot be renewed. A fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 of the next calendar year, so if the license is issued after July 1 of any year, it is valid for two full fiscal years after the following June 30.

This license may be used during its validity period for appropriate employment. During the validity period, the holder must remove all listed deficiencies for the professional educator license.

If all deficiencies are removed within one calendar year of the ELS endorsed as a provisional educator being issued, the ELS will be exchanged for the PEL for no additional fee. If deficiencies are not removed within one calendar year, a new application and fee will be required for issuance of the PEL. The applicant will need to meet any new licensure requirements effective at the time of the new application.

Only one ELS (provisional educator) of a given type may be issued to an applicant. If an applicant was issued a provisional certificate prior to July 1, 2013, he/she is not eligible for a new ELS (provisional educator) in the same area.

Requirements for the Substitute Teaching License (SUB)

To obtain a substitute teaching license in Illinois, an applicant must provide evidence of earning a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.

Applying for a License (7/20/15)

Before you apply for a license or an endorsement, please read this document. See what endorsements and grade ranges are available so you apply appropriately.

Individuals should submit their applications for licensure online in the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS). First-time users will need to set up an account. Once you are logged into ELIS, click Apply for an Illinois License, Endorsement, or Approval and follow the steps in the application wizard. The application fee may be paid with a credit card when you submit your application.

Foreign - Applicants Prepared as Educators Outside of the United States

In order to become licensed in Illinois,
foreign applicants must have been prepared as an educator
outside of the United
States, meet all coursework and testing requirements, be
legally eligible for employment in the United States, and
meet all
other requirements detailed in Illinois statute and rules.

If you have foreign credentials, you will need to obtain
an evaluation of them that converts the foreign educational
credentials to equivalent American semester credits and courses.
The evaluation will need to specify the grade level for which
you prepared as a teacher. It will also need to indicate the
American degree equivalence of your foreign credentials.

We require the original foreign credential evaluation
report and copies of your foreign documents made from the
originals by your regional superintendent. The following organizations
have met the requirements of the Illinois Administrative Code
to qualify as evaluation sources.

If your organization evaluates foreign credentials and if
your organization has contributed to studies of foreign educational
systems performed by NAFSA and AACRAO, your service can be
added to this list. Please forward a request to be added to
this list and information substantiating this requirement
to: